Sometimes images just say it all:
Spokane Daily Chronicle, Tuesday, January 6, 1925:
From our Washington Digital Archives:
From the Boston Globe, January 16, 1925:
From Find A Grave:
Rest in Peace, dear Private Emerson Andrew DeRoehn.
What American family beginning in the 1940s did not succumb to the allure of Velveeta cheese? Or was it really cheese?
Here’s the story: Way back in 1916, Jacob Weisl owned the Monroe Cheese Company in New York and had a problem. What to do with the broken or misshapen bits of cheese from his factory? His helper-genius, Emil Frey, spent two years tinkering and in 1918 came up with a new way to utilize the bits and pieces and turn them into a saleable product. Frey dubbed it Velveeta and it became an instant hit. By 1923, the name was changed to the Velveeta Cheese Company and this “sensationally satiny” cheese was being marketed across America and Europe.
Kraft Foods bought the company in 1927 and changed the recipe replacing real cheese with the paragraph of chemical elements that still graces the package today.
No matter, Velveeta fans remained loyal. The New York Times in 1976 declared Velveeta a “worldwide favorite,” with sales in America hitting an astonishing 8.75 pounds for every American. Sales figures for 2023 show net sales of about $27 billion.
Yikes, indeed, for a “cheese product” that, in fact, technically does not contain cheese.
(Source: Smithsonian Magazine, Jan-Feb 2025)
 Welcome to Italian Genealogy Let’s explore the world of Italian genealogy together, one person at a time. |
35th Anniversary Of The Italian Interest Group! Celebrate the Italian Interest Group’s 35th anniversary! No-host dinner Saturday, 3/15/2025 at 5:00 PM (time may vary based on restaurant availability) Location: Ristorante Paradiso https://ristoranteparadiso.com/home 120 A Park Lane, Kirkland 425-889-8601 |
| We normally celebrate the IIG anniversary with a group dinner at Ristorante Paradiso in Kirkland. We need a head count to make a reservation. Please RSVP by March 1, 2025, Saturday using the hyperlink below. You can use the hyperlink below to change the number of attendees, just revise the ‘Number Attending’ in the form. Mille Grazie, Stephen |
| https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/530446/146725466087098231/share |
| COUNTDOWN TO THE DINNER RESERVATION DEADLINE: |
 Days Hours Minutes Seconds |
| Eastside Genealogy Group – Italian Interest Group 2410 East Helen Street, Seattle WA, United States of America |
Everybody in Washington knows about Hood Canal but how much do we know? Is it a river, a bay or a fjord??
Named by Capt. George Vancouver on May 13, 1792, in honor of Admiral Lord Samuel Hood, Hood Canal is a fjord-like body of water lying west of the main basins of Puget Sound. It is a natural waterway and not a man-made canal.
Hood Canal is long (about 50 miles) and narrow (average width, 1.5 miles), with a mean depth of 177 feet and has 213 miles of shoreline and 42 miles of tideland.
Formed some 13,000 years ago, Hood Canal was created by retreating glaciers. True fjords are long narrow inlets in valleys carved by glacial activity; hence Hood Canal originating off Puget Sound and the Salish Sea.
This is a proposal to change the name of Hood Canal to Salish Fjord since the feature is not a canal. This name change would also honor the Salish Nation whose peoples have been there for thousands of years.
Stay tuned on that idea. 🙂
Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society DNA Special Interest Group Meeting
Tuesday, February 25, Starting at 7:00 pm via Zoom
We will discuss the DNA company 23andMe, their offerings, and take a virtual tour of the website.
Calendar reminder: TPCGS DNA Special Interest Group Meeting
Every month on the Fourth Tuesday beginning at 7:00 PM Pacific Time
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZYqdeyrrz0iEtx-c_J3gNfcI8mebT1zajLo/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGqqTkvGdWTuBGPRpwQB4joZ-nzmCFHj7dF0RzaKXNUTAX1H7pPN7BLQcLR
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82725316888?pwd=MDc3UEZrUVJNbmxmK2ZORmw5YzdDdz09
Meeting ID: 827 2531 6888
Passcode: 811780
One tap mobile:
+12532050468,,82725316888#,,,,*811780# US
+12532158782,,82725316888#,,,,*811780# US (Tacoma)
Dial by your location:
+1 253 205 0468 US
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 827 2531 6888
Passcode: 811780
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kIKCyZLQy
Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming months, you will be introduced to each of the 2024 award recipients and learn why they received the a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.
Today we’re introducing Larry Ball of Yakima, Washington who was selected by the Yakima Valley Genealogical Society as its recipient of a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award.
Larry joined YVGS five years ago and is an invaluable member performing many maintenance tasks. With his electrical skills, he does electrical repairs at the YVGS library. He helps the outside appearance of the library by disposing of the yard waste (brush, tree limbs, grass clippings). He assisted in painting the parking stall strips in the parking lot. Larry also stepped up using a scissor-lift to clean all the ceiling lights of insects and dust in the library.
Larry helps with the transportation of yard sale items from two local churches back to the YVGS lot in preparation for two yard sales held each year, selling items and with cleanup after each sale. He helps with delivery of YVGS large sale items to customers unable to haul by themselves.
When the maintenance committee needs help, Larry is right there willing to assist. Recently, he assisted in making bookshelves in the library’s extended book storage room.
For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.
Mark your calendars!
You don’t want to miss this one!
Saturday, March 1
“BREAKING THE SILENCE: CLOSING THE BOOK ON COLD CASES”
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
The HIVE, 2904 E Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA
Presented by Lynda Keenan
How do genealogical skills help Law Enforcement solve Cold Cases? What is Genetic Genealogy? What tools are needed to help connect DNA evidence with Genealogical research? Come learn the answers to these questions and more!
DOORS OPEN AT 12:30 P.M FOR SOCIAL TIME
This is the view of Lake Keechelus that we usually see as we zoom over Snoqualmie Pass, right? But it has a different, more lovely, view:
Keechelus is both a lake and a reservoir in Kittitas County, Washington (approximately 50 miles southeast of Seattle).
I had long thought this lake was a reservoir for Seattle’s water, but not so. The lake was/is the source of the Yakima River and is used as a storage reservoir for the Yakima irrigation needs. Although a natural lake, Keechelus Lake’s storage capacity and discharge is controlled by Keechelus Dam, a 128-foot high earth-fill structure built in 1917.
The name Keechelus comes from the Native American term meaning “few fish,” in contrast to nearby Kachess Lake, whose name means “more fish.”
As you zoom along I-90 the next time, take a good look at Keechelus Lake and, being in the know, smile.
Please join the Skagit Valley Genealogical Society on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at 1pm for the last of our Winter Series, AI and Genealogy with Dave Obee, author, journalist, and genealogist. Dave has written a dozen books and has given more than 700 presentations at genealogy and history conferences. Can’t make it to the Burlington Library, request a zoom link by emailing genealogy0715@gmail.com.
My name is David Green, a manager at FamilySearch.org.
I’m reaching out to invite you and anyone in your organization who might be interested to participate in RootsTech 2025 6-8 March, either in person in Salt Lake City or online for free.
RootsTech is the largest family history discovery celebration in the world!
Learn how to better find, save, and share your family story, past and present, with family history classes for all skill levels, an interactive Expo Hall, inspirational messages, and a family discovery day on Saturday full of games and activities for everyone.
https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech
Here is an image if you would like to post this on your events page, or if you see value in sending an email to your members. And as a reminder, all online classes are free!
Thanks! And we hope to see you either online or at the event!
David
—
David L. Green
FamilySearch Marketing
Cell: 801-361-9682
WhatsApp: 1-801-361-9682
Email: dgreen@familysearch.org